United Kingdom York Early Music International Young Artists Competition 2015
The York Early Music International Young Artists Competition will take place at the National Centre for Early Music (NCEM) in York from Thursday 9 – Saturday 11 July as part of the 2015 York Early Music Festival. This prestigious biennial competition invites applications from instrumental and/or vocal ensembles, in any combination, with a minimum of two musicians. All members must be adults, with the average age of the ensemble being 32 or under on 11 July 2015. Competitors must perform repertory from the period ranging from the middle ages to the nineteenth century, using appropriate historically informed playing techniques, instruments and stylistic conventions.
The Competition, which is recognised as a major international platform for emerging talent in the early music world, offers a major boost to professional careers with opportunities for performance, recording and broadcasting, and attracts ensembles from all over the world.
Delma Tomlin MBE, Director of the NCEM says: “We are delighted to announce an exciting new prize as part of this year’s competition – the Cambridge Early Music Prize – in addition to the EUBO Development Trust Prize for the most promising young artist(s) and York Early Music Festival Friends Prize. In 2013 the competition saw over 40 ensembles apply, with 160 members from over 30 countries round the globe. We look forward to another outstanding response and week of remarkable music-making during the 2015 Festival during which, as ever, we endeavour to provide the very highest standards of professional and experienced advice and guidance across all performing disciplines in a nurturing and inspiring environment.”
The pre-Competition stage is judged by CD by an initial selection panel comprising the Artistic Advisers of the York Early Music Festival: John Bryan, Kati Debretzeni, Lindsay Kemp and Peter Seymour, and Delma Tomlin, Director of the National Centre for Early Music. Selected ensembles are then invited to the National Centre for Early Music in York from 8 – 11 July. During Thursday 9 July and Friday 10 July each ensemble will give an informal preliminary recital, introduced to the audience by soprano and radio presenter Catherine Bott. On Saturday 11 July the Competition will take place before an international jury. The announcement of the winners will take place directly after the final concert.
The winners will receive a cheque for £1,000; opportunities to work with BBC Radio 3 and feature on BBC Radio 3’s The Early Music Show; a concert as part of the 2016 York Early Music Festival and a CD recording professionally produced by Linn Records.
Young artists who are interested in entering the 2015 Competition can find all the entry requirements at www.ncem.co.uk/youngartists2015
The deadline for applications is Friday 23 January 2015.
Applications should be sent to: The Music Administrator, National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL Tel:+44 [0]1904 632220, email education@ncem.co.uk. The Competition is supported by the National Centre for Early Music, BBC Radio 3 and Arts Council England, Yorkshire.